


are we the actors on the stage?

by merlypops



Series: the smallest things collide just to make us [2]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Angst, Boys In Love, Declarations Of Love, Depression, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Love, Healing, Hopeful Ending, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse (not graphic), Implied/Referenced Self-Harm (not graphic), Kissing, M/M, Sad with a Happy Ending, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 11:25:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17661662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merlypops/pseuds/merlypops
Summary: The wind howled through the rafters like a monster and Luke’s trembling hand found his unconsciously, their fingers interlacing as his head came to rest gently on the ranger’s shoulder.“How can I help you feel better?” Calum asked softly, his voice saturated with desperation and regret. “How can I make you smile again, Lukey? You’re one of my best friends on the planet. I hate it when you’re hurting.”Calum and Luke admit their love for each other.Based on “Running” by The Lonely Wild.





	are we the actors on the stage?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Maluminspace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maluminspace/gifts).



> because I love Laura to the moon, and she's the Calum to my Michael <3
> 
> Hi everyone!  
> It's finally time for me to revist the CWL universe because I've missed it a ridiculous amount and I've been meaning to write a oneshot for these two since probably last October so I'm sorry for the delay :')  
> This one is kind of angsty but I promise it has a happy ending - you already know what happens if you've read CWL!  
> Hopefully you'll enjoy this :)
> 
> **This is set between Chapters 4 and 5 of CWL.**

“I’m so fucking sad,” Luke whispered brokenly. The words were soft and bleak, and although it was too dark to see the tears on his cheeks, Calum knew they were there.

“I’m not leaving you,” the older man whispered, even though it felt like his heart was breaking in his chest. It was silent in the house save for the gentle sound of their breathing as they sat side by side on the blond man’s bed. Luke hadn’t been sleeping in his room much lately - more often than not, his nightmares pushed him into Calum’s bed - and it felt strange to be in here again now; the air almost stale, like no one had set foot in there for a very long time.

The wind howled through the rafters like a monster and Luke’s trembling hand found his unconsciously, their fingers interlacing as his head came to rest gently on the ranger’s shoulder.

“How can I help you feel better?” Calum asked softly, his voice saturated with desperation and regret. “How can I make you smile again, Lukey? You’re one of my best friends on the planet. I hate it when you’re hurting.”

The sound that escaped the blond man _might_ have been a sob but it was too dark to tell now that the moon had drifted behind a cloud. Calum would just have to use his instincts.

“I love you,” Luke wept, his fingers slipping from the older man’s as he buried his face in his hands. His broad shoulders were shaking with sobs now and that alone was proof that he hadn’t meant the words in a platonic way. Calum’s heart shuddered in his chest.

He’d pictured their declarations to each other in so many ways before - with flowers, chocolates, romantic walks, candles and music - but none of them had involved Luke crying like his heart was breaking in his chest as he curled up in the darkness. Calum’s hand was shaking when his palm came to rest on the younger man’s shoulder.

“Luke,” he said weakly, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip as his dark eyes prickled with tears. “Lukey, _please_.”

Calum lay down behind the younger man hesitantly, his arm wrapping warmly around Luke’s waist as he pressed a soft kiss to the blond man’s shoulder.

“I remember the first day I met you,” Calum said softly. “We were in drama class, weren’t we? We must’ve been about fourteen and you had this ridiculously impressive blond quiff, and more bruising than anyone I’d ever seen before, and you didn’t let it faze you. Do you remember what we were studying in that lesson?”

“Romeo and Juliet,” Luke breathed, letting out a weak huff of laughter. “Even Mikey took that lesson seriously. I was like the next Andrew Lloyd Webber or something.”

“Ew,” Calum murmured, wrinkling his nose before he giggled softly. “I really sulked that lesson. Do you remember why?”

“Yeah,” Luke admitted as his lips curved into a watery smile. “I was being Juliet and Mike decided he was going to be Romeo, and you were grumpy because you had to be the narrator.”

“Actually I was being cranky because I thought playing Romeo would have been a great opportunity to flirt with you,” Calum admitted, listening to the younger man’s soft intake of breath with a nervous smile on his face.

“You were going to flirt with me? Using Shakespeare? When we were _fourteen_?” Luke whispered, his tone nothing short of awe-struck. He rolled over so that he was facing the older man, so close that the tips of their noses brushed as they shared the same pillow.

“I’ve liked you for a _really_ long fucking time,” Calum murmured, a blush colouring his cheeks when he felt Luke’s forehead come to rest gently against his own. “And… and what I’m trying to say is… fuck, I love you _too_ , Lukey. I think I always have done.”

Their lips met through the darkness and Calum sighed into the kiss as his fingers curled gently through the blond man’s hair. He tried to push all of his love into the younger man’s mouth; tried to make Luke feel special and precious and wonderful because… god, he _was_.

He was one of the best people Calum had ever been lucky enough to meet and he’d keep reminding the younger man of that for the rest of his life if that was what it took to make him feel beautiful.

Luke drew back with another soft sob, his eyelashes spiky with tears as his hands twisted loosely in the fabric of the older man’s t-shirt. He’d been so bruised and broken once - back when his dad had tried to tear him down; back when he’d hurt _himself_ because he hadn’t been able to let the ache out - and Calum was so glad Luke had been strong enough to move past that.

He only hoped Luke would be strong enough to fight through his sadness now too, before it tore him apart.

“I love you,” Calum repeated, pressing another gentle kiss to the younger man’s lips. “Always have done; always will.”

“What does this mean, Cal?” the blond man murmured, his pretty eyes fluttering shut when the older man’s hands rose to cup his cheeks.

“Whatever you want it to mean,” Calum promised, his chocolate brown eyes soft as he cradled the younger man’s face gently between his palms. “What do you want, Lukey?”

“You,” Luke said softly. “I want you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to anyone who read this!  
> I'd love to hear what you thought <3


End file.
